Friday

Beet THAT!

I'm intrigued by 'wrong' coloured foods! I love black spaghetti and I will always choose my ice cream by the colour, "I'll have the bright green one please!"...

The following is a great dinner party dish, the colour is very impressive and beetroot lovers will thank you for months!! Beetroot is the veg a la mode in this house, I've been using it ALOT, perhaps too much, Bill? It is delicious though so I'll throw a few more beetroot recipes your way before I abandon it!!

Beetroot Risotto

You'll need

Olive oil

500gms risotto rice

1 large glass of red wine

1 pk of cooked beetroot in juice

1 clove of garlic, crushed

500mls chicken/vegetable stock

100gms grated parmesan

A knob of butter

100gms soft goats cheese

Handful of rocket

Chopped walnuts

Method

Fry the rice with the garlic in oil until becoming translucent around the edges. Add the wine and the juice from the beetroot. Cook off the liquids and then add the stock, in dribs and drabs until the rice is cooked. If the stock runs out use hot water.

When the rice is cooked, chop the beetroot and add, stirring through to get as much dye on the rice as you can and then add the butter and parmesan. Stir through. Serve sprinkled with the rocket, walnuts and goats cheese.

I never thought to make risotto. This is basically my Beet Salad: I roast and peel the beets. Dice. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, good balsamic vinegar, and add either crumbled goat cheese and toasted pine nuts or bleu cheese and toasted walnuts. I serve with arugula (rocket), too.